Bars and Breweries in Wilson County: A 2026 Local Broker's Roundup

Wilson County's bar and brewery scene has grown meaningfully over the past decade, tracking Middle Tennessee's broader craft beer and independent bar renaissance. What used to be mostly full-service restaurants with bar programs and a few sports bars has expanded to include dedicated taprooms, independent cocktail bars, and neighborhood spots with real local identity. This roundup covers what's worth knowing about bars and breweries across Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, and the broader Wilson County market as of 2026.

Table of Contents

• How These Were Picked
• Breweries in Wilson County
• Independent Bars and Cocktail Spots
• Sports Bars
• Restaurant Bar Programs Worth Knowing
• Wineries and Cideries Near Wilson County
• Recently Opened and Coming Soon
• Tennessee Alcohol Rules — Quick Notes
• Practical Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• A Local's Take

How These Were Picked

This roundup covers operators as of April 2026. Specific breweries and bars change menus and hours — verify on Google Maps or the operator's social media before going. Operators named here were confirmed against Google Business Profile, Yelp, the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber directory, the Wilson County TN Convention & Visitors Bureau (visitwilsontn.com), and Wilson County Source news coverage. Emphasis is on independent and locally-owned operations with confirmed Wilson County addresses. Nearby Middle Tennessee operators Wilson County residents visit regularly are noted separately.

Breweries in Wilson County

Wilson County's brewery scene has grown alongside Middle Tennessee's broader craft beer expansion. Three specific Wilson County breweries are operating as of 2026:

Cedar City Brewing, 112 Public Square, Lebanon, TN 37087, is Wilson County's first commercial brewery. It sits directly on Lebanon's Historic Public Square — one of the more distinctive brewery-visit experiences in Middle Tennessee. Hours run roughly Sunday–Thursday 11 AM–8 PM and Friday–Saturday 11 AM–9:30 PM. For anyone doing a Public Square dining walk (see Downtown Lebanon Dining), Cedar City is a natural stop.

East Nashville Beer Works — Wilson County, 1688 Callis Road, Lebanon, is the Lebanon expansion of the East Nashville-based brewery. The Wilson County location is a two-story taproom with a large beer garden featuring an LED game screen, a playground, and a dog park — purpose-built as a family-and-dog-friendly brewery destination. Hours run 11 AM daily, closing 10 PM weeknights and 11 PM Friday and Saturday. The full food menu centers on pizza, salads, and appetizers. The Lebanon Wilson County Chamber confirmed the opening with a ribbon-cutting in 2024.

Tenn Lakes Brewing Company, 300 N Maple St Suite 4-135, Lebanon, is the third Lebanon-based brewery. The taproom pours house-brewed beer with a pizza-and-wings-forward food menu. A three-stop Wilson County brewery tour rounds out with Tenn Lakes alongside Cedar City and East Nashville Beer Works.

Nashville breweries worth the drive. For additional craft beer variety, Wilson County residents drive into Nashville for Yazoo, Bearded Iris, Jackalope, and others — one of the denser scenes in the South, 30–40 minutes from most Wilson County neighborhoods.

Independent Bars and Cocktail Spots

Sammy B's, 705 Cadet Ct, Lebanon, is one of the longest-running and most locally-identified bars in Lebanon. A full restaurant-and-bar operation, it covers the "meet for a drink that turns into dinner" use case well. A related "Sammy's at the Club" operates at Lebanon Golf & Country Club (open to the public).

Town Square Social, 145 Public Square, Lebanon, is an eclectic sports-bar-meets-Southern-restaurant at the center of the Public Square. Full bar, livelier on weekend evenings, and you can walk from Cedar City Brewing to Town Square Social in under a minute.

Hillside Hangout in Mt. Juliet is an independent hilltop bar-and-grill with 13 rotating local and regional beers on tap, a seasonal craft-cocktail menu, and live music most nights. Food is elevated bar fare — smashburgers, house-smoked wings, cheese curds, rotating smoked specials. For Mt. Juliet residents who want "meet for drinks with real food and live music," it's the most locally-identified option.

Sports Bars

Wilson County sports-bar coverage supports Titans, Predators, and Volunteers games plus Cumberland University football in Lebanon.

Jonathan's Grille, 613 S Mt Juliet Rd, is Mt. Juliet's most-referenced sit-down sports bar — multiple TVs, full food menu, full bar. Works for Titans Sundays or a weeknight dinner equally well.

Chain sports bars. Buffalo Wild Wings and similar chains operate in or near Mt. Juliet and Lebanon. Game nights are peak — arrive early or reserve where accepted.

Restaurant Bar Programs Worth Knowing

Many Wilson County restaurants have bar programs that work for a "meet for a drink" night:

• Aubrey's Lebanon (1648 W Main St) — full bar with bar-top seating; opened April 2025
• Steakhouses (Texas Roadhouse at Legacy Point, Longhorn) — cocktail and whiskey programs
• Mexican restaurants — margarita programs worth the stop for margaritas alone

See Date Night in Mt. Juliet and Downtown Lebanon Dining — the latter maps bar-program options next to Cedar City Brewing for a single Public Square evening.

Wineries and Cideries Near Wilson County

Wilson County itself has limited winery production, but Middle Tennessee has several wineries within a reasonable drive — none of these are in Wilson County:

• Arrington Vineyards (Williamson County, ~40–60 minutes from Wilson County) — the most-common Wilson County wine-country day-trip
• DeVault Vineyards (Rutherford County)
• Beachaven Vineyards (Montgomery County)
• Long Hollow Winery (Sumner County)

For a full wine day, Arrington Vineyards is the default Wilson County choice — broad lawn seating, live music on weekends, and enough space to handle large groups.

Recently Opened and Coming Soon

2024–2026 has been the most active stretch in Wilson County's bar and brewery history:

• East Nashville Beer Works — Wilson County (1688 Callis Rd) opened 2024 — biggest brewery-destination addition Lebanon has seen
• Aubrey's Lebanon opened April 2025 with a full bar on W Main Street
• Cedar City Brewing continues anchoring the Public Square as Wilson County's first commercial brewery
• Tenn Lakes Brewing operating on N Maple Street

Expect the 2026–2028 pipeline to add more as South Hartmann and West Lebanon corridors continue building out. Wilson County Source and Lebanon Wilson County Chamber ribbon-cuttings are the best real-time trackers.

Tennessee Alcohol Rules — Quick Notes

• Drinking age: 21 (federal minimum)
• Last call: varies by license type; generally 3 AM in dedicated bars, often earlier at restaurants
• Beer and wine at grocery stores: Tennessee allows grocery store sales including in Wilson County. Wine was allowed at grocery stores starting in 2016.
• Liquor stores: liquor is sold only at specifically-licensed liquor stores, not grocery stores
• Sunday sales: alcohol sales on Sundays are generally allowed in Wilson County; specific hours vary

Source: Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Retrieved 2026-04-18.

Practical Tips

• Designate a driver or use rideshare. Uber and Lyft operate in Wilson County. Weekend evening ride availability is reasonable in Mt. Juliet and Lebanon.
• Call ahead on game nights. Sports bars fill fast during Titans, Predators, and major college games.
• Taproom hours vary. Breweries often have limited weekday hours; Thursday–Saturday are peak operating windows.
• Food options. East Nashville Beer Works has a full kitchen; Cedar City and Tenn Lakes vary — check before going hungry.
• Outdoor seating. East Nashville Beer Works' beer garden and Hillside Hangout's hilltop patio are Wilson County's two best outdoor bar experiences, particularly in spring and fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there breweries in Wilson County? Yes — three confirmed as of 2026: Cedar City Brewing (112 Public Square, Lebanon), East Nashville Beer Works — Wilson County (1688 Callis Rd, Lebanon), and Tenn Lakes Brewing Company (300 N Maple St, Lebanon).

What's the first commercial brewery in Wilson County? Cedar City Brewing Company in downtown Lebanon, on the Public Square at 112 Public Square. The brewery's own site identifies it as Wilson County's first commercial brewery.

Is East Nashville Beer Works the same as their Nashville location? Same brand, separate Wilson County location. The Lebanon taproom at 1688 Callis Road has a two-story space with a large beer garden, playground, and dog park. The original Nashville Trinity Lane taproom continues to operate.

Can you buy wine at grocery stores in Wilson County? Yes. Tennessee allows beer and wine sales at grocery stores (2016 onward). Liquor is sold only at dedicated liquor stores.

What's the drinking age in Tennessee? 21, per federal law.

Are there cocktail bars in Wilson County? Yes. Hillside Hangout in Mt. Juliet runs a seasonal craft-cocktail program. Sammy B's in Lebanon and Town Square Social on Lebanon Public Square both operate full bars. Dining restaurants with strong bar programs include Aubrey's Lebanon (opened April 2025) and Jonathan's Grille in Mt. Juliet.

Can I take kids to a Wilson County taproom? East Nashville Beer Works in Lebanon is explicitly family-friendly with a playground in the beer garden. Cedar City Brewing and Tenn Lakes both welcome families during daytime hours with individual-operator policies. Verify with each taproom for current specifics.

Where can I watch Titans games in Wilson County? Jonathan's Grille in Mt. Juliet is the most-referenced Mt. Juliet sports bar. Lebanon Public Square has Town Square Social; chain sports bars like Buffalo Wild Wings operate in the Mt. Juliet corridor.

Is rideshare available in Wilson County? Yes. Uber and Lyft both operate in Wilson County. Weekend evening ride availability is reasonable in Mt. Juliet and Lebanon; rural addresses may see longer waits.

Are wineries near Wilson County? Yes, within reasonable drives. Arrington Vineyards in Williamson County is the default Wilson County day-trip. DeVault, Beachaven, and Long Hollow wineries are in other adjacent counties within 45–90 minutes.

A Local's Take

The Wilson County bar and brewery scene is one of the areas where the county has clearly come up over the past decade. Ten years ago, "meet for a drink" typically meant a chain sports bar or a restaurant bar. Today, Lebanon has three dedicated breweries — Cedar City on the Public Square, East Nashville Beer Works on Callis Road with its family-and-dog-friendly beer garden, and Tenn Lakes on N Maple. Mt. Juliet has Hillside Hangout's live-music-and-bar-food format plus the usual sports-bar and restaurant-bar coverage.

For a weekend exploration: start at Cedar City Brewing on Lebanon's Public Square, grab dinner at Town Square Social or Aubrey's on W Main Street, and catch live music at Hillside Hangout in Mt. Juliet on the way home. The scene evolves faster than a static guide can track — use this piece as the starting map and let current social media tell you what's new.

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Written by Jacob Armbrester, Real Estate Broker with Compass. Published 2026-04-18. Last updated 2026-04-18.